Most refrigerators come with a freezer compartment, but many people find that a separate, dedicated freezer can be very beneficial. A second freezer can be a significant investment—so how do you determine if you need one?
Money Issues
If you are looking to save on grocery bills, then a dedicated freezer is an excellent way to do so. By buying large amounts of foods when they go on sale and then freezing them, you can enjoy low-cost meals all year round. Keeping a significant amount of food in the freezer can also help reduce the number of trips that you need to make to the grocery store, saving you money on gas.
Bulk Buying
A freezer also allows you to buy food in bulk without worrying about it going bad. Meats, cheeses, and many other products have a lower price per unit when purchase din larger quantities, and many retailers give discounts for bulk purchases.
Here are some Tips to Save Money on Your Grocery Bill.
Storage Space
If you find yourself struggling with storage space, then a second freezer is probably a good choice. This will open a significant amount of room, reducing the need to rearrange your freezer every item you want to insert or remove something. If you find yourself deciding not to make necessary purchases simply because you don’t have room to store them, then a second freezer could be a good idea.
Increasing Efficiency
A dedicated freezer can also affect the amount of time that you spend preparing meals. You can store precut vegetables, measured amounts of meat, or even entire meals in the freezer, cutting down drastically on preparation time. A freezer allows you to use your free time now to cook for later, letting you go faster when you are pressed for time.
Waste Prevention
Food waste is a significant problem in the United States, and if you’re finding that it’s an issue in your own home then a dedicated freezer might be a good idea. You can freeze leftovers to make a convenient meal later on, or keep perishable foods in the freezer to prevent them from going bad before you use them.
Health Concerns
Finally, another freezer might be a good idea if you’re struggling with healthy eating. By purchasing fruits and vegetables in season and keeping them in freezer, you can enjoy nutritious treats all year long. Frozen produce can be blended into smoothies, tossed into soups and other dishes, or even enjoyed on its own as a cool snack.
If you’re perfectly satisfied with the food in your kitchen right now, then you might not need to spend the money to purchase a new freezer. But if you want to save money, increase efficiency, reduce waste and eat better, then a dedicated freezer might be right for you.
* This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, we may or may not receive a small commission which helps to support this site. Thank you!
I don’t need a dedicated freezer because I live alone. Although, my sister has one and I’d like my son to have one too. They really do help to save quite a bit of money.
I can see how a separate freezer would end up saving you money. I think I would love to have one.
I live by myself but use my upright freezer that’s in the garage. I can certainly see how one would be good for families.
I would love to have a separate freezer, but as a renter, it’s not really doable. My little freezer compartment is packed with homemade stock and all sorts of chicken bones and veggie scraps for future batches of stock, as well as things like chili, fresh summer corn to enjoy all year, and of course, store-bought French fries. I’d love to be able to buy meat in bulk and really make use of a large freezer.
We have two additional freezers and boy do they come in handy as we purchase a lot of extra meat, veggies and bread. We like to always be prepared in case of an emergency.
We have always had a second freezer and I know it has paid for itself over the years. Actually, this is our 2nd freezer in 32 years, so they last a long time. We buy in bulk, freeze veggies from the garden, prepare dinners ahead and shop the sales.
I don’t have a second freezer but it would be useful. I like to make large batches of stews, soups and casseroles so that I have plenty of easy to cook meal when there is not enough time to cook.
A separate freezer is a must here. We shop the sales and buy in bulk. The stores often have sales on large meat or cheese buying so it works well for saving and to be prepared for later. Plus, this is great if you cook lots of meals at one time and freeze for later. There are so many items you can freeze from cooked products to fruit to bread to candy….
I agree Sherry. I’ve got 2 refrigerator/freezer combos and 1 large size upright freezer. I keep the one refrig/freezer combo down in my basement and use it for storing extras. The large upright freezer is from the early 1970’s and has NOT broken down one time! I love that old clunker and it works better than any modern or new unit out in the marketplace.
I can and freeze a ton of food for us to use late Fall through early Spring. Having a freezer is a must-have in my book!
Sounds like me. Gets a lot of use. Happy freezing!